This invention pertains to the art of printer cartridges and more particularly to ink-jet printer cartridges. The invention is particularly applicable to a method of refilling empty or spent ink-jet printer cartridges and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader applications and may be advantageously employed in other related environments and applications.
Ink-jet printer technology typically employs a replaceable cartridge or housing that carries a quantity of ink that is formed into droplets for dispensing through a nozzle and onto a printing medium such as paper. For example, ink droplets are formed in response to an electrical signal that heats the ink, creating an ink vapor bubble that pushes ink out of the nozzle. An electrical resistive element heats the ink extremely rapidly so that ink can be dispensed in a matter of milliseconds.
Related structures can be used to dispense ink droplets onto the paper. For example, a piezoelectric crystal can be used to dispense the ink droplets. As is well known, impressing an electrical signal on the crystal results in a dimensional change. The dimensional change of the crystal can be advantageously used to regulate droplets of ink from the cartridge. Likewise, when the electrical signal is removed, the crystal reverts to its original state.
Additional details of the ink-jet printer technology are well known in the art. Moreover, since the structure and operation of the replaceable cartridges is well known in the art, further discussion in that regard herein is deemed unnecessary.
The subject invention is directed to a method of refilling an empty printer cartridge of this type. Existing methods for refilling such cartridges suffer from a number of drawbacks. Particularly, a portion of the newly introduced refill ink is expelled from the cartridge and wasted with known refill processes. Aside from the mere waste of expelled ink, the user is faced with a mess. In fact, suppliers of refill kits recognize this problem and attempt to resolve it by instructing the user to place the cartridge into a special holder or container during the refill procedure, providing absorbent pads or surfaces to capture the overrun ink, etc.
Yet another problem associated with prior refill processes is that the priming procedure oftentimes has to be repeated since a proper flow of ink from the cartridge does not occur. The priming procedure, at other times, results in too much ink being expelled from the printer cartridge nozzles since the pressure within the cartridge becomes too great. The tool used for priming in known refill processes does not provide a predetermined amount of air to the cartridge but instead relies on the judgment of the user with regard to introducing a proper volume of air.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a new kit and process for refilling printer cartridges that overcomes these and other problems in an efficient, reliable manner that provides desired amounts of ink and air.